TERRE HAUTE —
Senior Taylor Whitley sank a free throw with 7.5 seconds remaining Friday night inside Hulman Center, as the Indiana State women’s basketball team rallied for a 55-54 victory over Bradley to open Missouri Valley Conference play.
The Sycamores, who came into the game ranked 11th in the nation in points allowed, held Bradley to 28.6-percent shooting in the second half to improve to 7-0 at home this season. ISU (9-3, 1-0 MVC) has now won 16 consecutive home games against Bradley (6-6, 0-1 MVC). The Braves came into the game ranked 21st in the NCAA in scoring at 75.2 per game.
Anna Munn knocked down five 3-pointers for 18 points to go with nine rebounds, tying for game-high honors with Racheal Mahan, who had 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting. Whitley added 12 points and four steals.
Jessica Valley paced the Sycamores on the glass with 11 rebounds, leading ISU to a 40-32 edge.
Mahan had 10 points in the first half as ISU trailed 33-27 at the break after a 12-4 run by the Braves to end the opening 20 minutes.
Bradley led 49-40 with 5:51 to go in the game, but ISU made a 7-0 run with four from Whitley and two free throws by Mahan.
The Sycamores’ surge continued as Whitley’s steal cut the Braves’ lead to two with 2:53 to go, and Munn set up Mahan for a layup to tie the game at 51-51 with 1:55 to go.
Budd and Munn traded three-pointers at 1:24 and 1:04, respectively, before Budd missed another long-range attempt that sophomore Jessica Valley rebounded with 51 seconds to play.
Indiana State called timeout with 39 seconds left to play and again with 19 seconds remaining when sophomore Travecia Franklin was trapped under the basket. Munn missed a three-pointer on the in-bounds pass, but Franklin pulled down the offensive rebound to allow for the Sycamores to go for the final shot.
Whitley was fouled driving to the basket, sending the ISU senior to line for two shots with 7.5 seconds on the clock. Whitley missed her first attempt, but sank her second to give Indiana State their first lead of the second half at 55-54.
Bradley’s Shronda Butts took the ball into the front court for the Braves, but the clock expired before Spinas-Valainis could attempt a layup following a pass from Butts.
BRADLEY (54) — Smith 3-5 0-0 6, Butts 3-7 0-0 7, Young 1-2 1-2 3, Budd 5-16 0-0 14, Yohn 3-10 0-0 7, Shull 0-0 0-0 0, Vine 1-1 0-0 2, Bisping 0-0 0-0 0, O’Learyu 3-5 0-0 6, Frings 1-4 0-0 2, Spinas-Valainis 2-7 3-5 7. Totals 22-57 FG, 6-21 FT, 54 TP.
INDIANA STATE (55) — Mahan 7-11 4-4 18, Valley 1-3 1-2 3, Johnson 0-3 0-0 0, Whitley 4-12 4-5 12, Munn 6-19 1-1 18, Zurek 0-0 0-0 0, Laramie 1-4 0-0 2, Franklin 1-3 0-0 2. Totals 20-55 FG, 10-12 FT, 55 TP.
Halftime score — BU 33, ISU 27. 3-point shooting — BU 6-21 (Budd 4-9, Yohn 1-5, Butts 1-2, Smith 0-2, Frings 0-1), ISU 5-17 (Munn 5-15, Johnson 0-2). Rebounds — BU 32 (Yohn 5, O’Leary 6), ISU 40 (Valley 11, Munn 9, Mahan 6, Franklin 4). Steals — BU 7 (Budd 2, Yohn 2, Young, Frings, Spinas-Valainis), ISU 5 (Whitley 4, Franklin). Blocks — BU 3 (Yohn 2, Spinas-Valainis), ISU 3 (Mahan 2, Valley 1). Assists — BU 15 (Budd 4, Yohn 3), ISU 14 (Munn 3, Zurek 3, Johnson 2, Valley 2). Turnovers — BU 14, ISU 19. Total fouls — BU 15, ISU 13. Fouled out — none.
Next — Indiana State (9-3, 1-0 MVC) plays host to Northern Iowa on Sunday. Bradley (6-7, 0-1 MVC) visits Illinois State.
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